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Resources

- On-line    

There are a lot of addiction and recovery related resources on the Web.
We've listed some of RecoveryFest's favorites below.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse - This site features a wide range of information and services for teens, parents, teachers, as well as medical and health professionals. Without a doubt one of the best sites on the web!

Above the Influence - Also a great site, primarily geared toward the 25 and under crowd. Lot's of videos, pod casts, and photo galleries addressing addiction prevention and education. Worth a visit even if you're over 25!

HBO: Addiction - Whether you've seen the HBO series Addiction or not, everyone should visit this site. The site features numerous video clips that not only add to the information content, they put a human face on the struggle of addiction and the journey into recovery. This site is a must see.

NIDA for Teens - The Science behind Drug Abuse
Designed for grades 5-12 with a wide variety of educational resources and games.  The site also includes resources for parents and teachers. 

Family Guide
Designed for parents and other adults involved in the lives of 7- to 18-year-olds, the Family Guide Web site emphasizes the importance of family, promotes mental health, and helps prevent underage use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs.

The Partnership for a Drug Free America - Another resource rich site featuring links for parents and teens. Very informative with a lot of good self-directed resources.

Parents - The Anti-Drug
An excellent resource for parents.  The site is filled with the latest information and advice regarding teen substance use, prevention, and how to get help.

Talk About Addiction - Openly addresses the stigma of addiction and how it hinders recovery. A great site for family members to visit.

If a picture is worth a thousand words,
a video is worth even more...

- Recommended Reading & Viewing   

On DVD

• ADDICTION - Why can't they just stop? An HBO 14-Part Series. Several of the nation's leading experts on drug and alcohol addiction, together with a group of accomplished filmmakers, have assembled to create ADDICTION, an unprecedented documentary aimed at helping Americans understand addiction as treatable brain disease. Visit HBO.com/addiction to watch an excerpt.
  
  
• Forever Changed - A true story that may SAVE YOUR LIFE. Did you ever tell yourself that you were fine to drive after drinking and that accidents only happened to "other people"? Tom Melin referred to himself as a professional drunk driver. He began driving under the influence of alcohol at the age of 16 and never thought twice about the consequences until his life was forever changed. To watch an excerpt, visit foreverchangedllc.com.

To learn about the basics of addiction:

• Willpower's Not Enough - Recovering from Addictions of Every Kind, by Arnold Washton and Donna Boundy
  
  
• The Recovery Book, by Al J. Mooney, M.D., Arlene Eisenberg and Howard Eisenberg.

Twelve-Step Resources:

• Alcoholics Anonymous - Big Book. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism. If you would like to read it on-line click here.
  
  
• Twenty-Four Hours A Day. Features an inspirational thought, meditation, and prayer for each day of the year, Twenty-Four Hours A Day offers you encouragement, support, and wisdom to help you continue your path to spiritual and personal growth.
  
  
• Twelve Step Sponsorship - How it works, by Hamilton B. A practical guide to the basics of sponsorship to include both finding a sponsor and becoming a sponsor. An easy to read step-by-step presentation.

Resources for family members:

• Love First - A New Approach to Intervention for Alcoholism & Drug Addiction, by Jeff and Debra Jay. This book is easy to read and is filled with valuable information about addiction in general, codependency, and practical steps for helping your addicted loved one.
  
  
• Reclaim Your Family from Addiction - How Couples and Families Recover Love and Meaning, by Craig Nakken. This book explains how the addiction process moves through the entire family and shows us a path a family can follow to move into recovery.
  
  
• Boundaries - When to say YES, when to say NO, to take control of your life, by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. In this book, Cloud and Townsend look at how to create healthy boundaries in the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual areas of our life.
  
  
• One Day at a Time in Al-Anon. A full year of short daily readings for family members or friends with addicted loved ones.
  
  
• Straight Talk - What Recovering Parents Should Tell Their Kids About Drugs and Alcohol, by Claudia Black.
  
  

Spiritual Resources:

• A Hunger for Healing - The Twelve Steps as a Classic Model for Christian Spiritual Growth, by J. Keith Miller. This an easy to follow plan for moving through the twelve steps. A companion workbook is also available.
  
  
• The Lies We Believe- The #1 Cause of Our Unhappiness, by Dr. Chris Thurman. Discover how to identify the common lies we believe about ourselves and how to move past them.
  
  
• The Life Recovery Bible, published by Tyndale. Features the New Living Translation of the Bible and includes recovery profiles, twelve step devotionals, and recovery principles found in the scriptures.
  
  
• The Healing Path - How the hurts in your past can lead you to a more abundant life, by Dan Allender. None of us escape the heartache and disappointments of life. To live is to hurt, and we all have the wounds to prove it. Regardless of how we've been hurt, we all face a common question: What should we do with our pain?
  
  
• I Can't be an Addict, I'm a Christian, by Melinda Fish. A great resource explaining addiction in broad terms. It's no longer in print, but copies are available from numerous book distributors on the web.
  
  
  

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The Dogs of RecoveryFest

Every year several canine companions join us at RecoveryFest.

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The Organizing Committee & History of RecoveryFest

    As you can see from the photos of previous years,
the organizing committee is a pretty sharp bunch! 

     RecoveryFest started with just a handful of volunteers and about 100 people attending the first festival in 2004.  Within four years the event has grown to rank as the 3rd largest event to be held in Kollen Park with over 2,500 people coming out to celebrate.  And it's a great celebration!  In 2007 we consumed over 1,000 BBQ sandwiches, 1,000 hot dogs, 500 cookies, 1,200 cans of soda, and 1,200 bottles of water! 

    The committee that organizes RecoveryFest is made up of volunteers from a variety of organizations and agencies from Ottawa County.  As the festival grows, so does the need for volunteers and corporate support.  To learn more about how you can support RecoveryFest, volunteer in the planning, or volunteer on the event day,
contact Jude Vereyken at 616.820.3780 or email her
at  Jude.Vereyken@pinerest.org.

RecoveryFest 2008 Planning Committee Agencies: 

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Thank You to the Supporters of RecoveryFest08!

Donate to Support RecoveryFest

RecoveryFest is organized and staffed by volunteers.  Funding for food, entertainment rental, tents, etc. is paid for through donations. We need your help!  Please send your check payable to Pine Rest - Recovery Fest Fund to the address below.  You will receive a receipt in the mail for your tax deductible donation.  Thanks for your help!

Mail donations to:          Recovery Fest Fund 2008          Pine Rest - Holland Clinic          926 South Washington Avenue #210          Holland, MI 49423-5205

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Treatment Providers
Assisting with RecoveryFest08

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